The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-20
AN OCEAN STEAMER BURNED
Inman Liner City of Montreal Destroyed
When Four Days Out from New York.
all the Passengers and Crew, Numbering
Over 400, Escape, with the Exception of
Thirteen, Lost by Their Own Folly.

LONDON, Aug. 19-The Inman line steamer
City of Montreal has been destroyed by fire at
sea- Her passengers were saved. The City Of
Montreal left New York Aug. 6, for Liverpool
She was commanded by Captain Laud. The
news of the burning of the steamer was learned
upon the arrival at Queenstown, this morning,
of the British steamer York City. Captain Ben
nett, which left Baltimore Aug for London.
This steamer rescued the passengers and crew
from the burning vessel, and brought them
10 Queenstown. The passengers and crew OF
the City of Montreal were taken OH
the York City by the tug Mount Etna
and landed at Queenstown. All were accounted
for except the thirteen persons with the missing
boat 1t is learned that shortly after the pas
sengers had gone to bed on the night OF the 10th,
she ship being in latitude 43 degrees north at
the time, they were aroused by alarm Of fire.
A scene of CONSERVATION ensued and the passen-
gers were greatly terrified when they found out
the true state of affairs. The smoke caused by
the fire was suffocating. The passengers
dressed and got on deck quickly as possible,
aud with but little appearance of panic Inc
fire originated in the cotton stored
IN the after main hold. Nine streams OF
water wore soon working on the flames
and the course of the vessel was shaped toward
Newfoundland 400 miles distant The flames
spread with great rapidity ana soon had burst
out with terrific force through the midway and
after matches the heat being intense 1t be-
came evident that it was impossible to save the
ship, and a momentary panic ensued.
The boats were eight in number. and consisted
OF four life boats and four pinnaces. These
were launched and stocked with provisions.
The flames spread with great ferceness and the
efforts to quench them were soon found futile.
AT o'clock in the morning the passengers were
rnarshaled on deck preparatory to entering the
boats. Many of them were weeping. but on the
whole they were quiet and orderly The family
groups presented sight pitiful to see as they
huddled together in fear and trembling. There
was heavy sea running, and it was with great
difficulty that the boats were kept from being
smashed. The crew worked splendidly, and all
the passengers were placed in the boats in a COM
paratvely short time AS the last boat was
putting off from the ship, several of the passen-
gers and crew were seen aft. They had been
overlooked and screaming to the
boats to return. They were subsequent
~ bravely rescued, half dead from the
effects of the smoke and heat. The
masts OF a ship the horizon. but
ten hours elapsed before it near. The
boats soon scattered, and entirely vanished.
This contained two stewards. two seamen and
seven passengers, and there is but little doubt
that the whole boat-load persisted. The boat did
not contain full crew, and left the City of
Montreal against the captains orders, as there
was time to take many more in it. The other sur
vivors considered the fate of the occupants of
the lost boat a Judgment for their cowardice.
A bark sighted shortly after the boats left
the steamer, and her crew were preparing to
pick up the survivors when the steamer York
City, attracted by the flames from the burning
vessel, which were shooting UP hundred feet
IN the air. bore down and with difficulty took all
hands board. The rescued people were
treated with the utmost kindness by the captain
and crew OF the York City, and the passengers
speak with much feeling of the consideration
which was accorded them. The York City pro-
ceeded to London after landing the City of Mont
survivors are unanimous in declaring that the
officers and of the City of Montreal did
their duty molly and skillfully.
Passengers-Samuel hoffman, George Arnold,
Samuel Mckee. Kenard Woolton, Stephen
Tupper Simon Roell S. Katchinka Crew
Henry Frazer. Charles Reade, William Franney,
Patrick Hughes. trimmer; Charles Smith, in
terpreter; Thomas Wherefore, steward.
The steamer worth about half million
dollars. The insurance is not known. The fol-
lowing Is the entire cargo of the vessel, taken
from the manifest at the general Offices of the
company Two Thousand and thirtyone bales
of cotton 5,011 boxes cheese, l, 908 boxes bacon,
BIS boxes canned goods 200 tierces lard. 40
tierces pork, 100 half barrels tongues. 80
bricatIng oil, 45 barrels cottonseed oil.
B3 hogshead tobacco. rs half hogsheads tobacco.
B, COS bags copper matte. 900 bags -four, 900
shocks, 4 161 slaves, 50 barrels beef, 433 tubs
butter, 9 barrels hog bladders, 1877 packages
merchandise and 80 empty barrels The COM
pany has two vessels building the Clyde. One
of them will be named the City of New York.
The other has not been named yet. Both, when
finished will excel in speed and size anything
now ahoat. They will be ready for work in the
spring. The City of Montreal used for
hrst-class travel She had made ia VOYAGES
Captain Laud has been in the service of the line
for twenty five years or more. He is considered
one of the most careful OF transatlantic captains
No one here has any idea how the flames orig
mated.